The Bird Soars
by Hannurdock
Summary: Face achieves total freedom, for a few moments.


  
Title: The Bird Soars  
  
Author: Georgina Ann Price AKA Hannurdock  
  
Summary: Murdock's antics in the air.  
  
  
****  
  
  
Face watched Murdock carefully as he tested the controls of the plane and then gave the thumbs up.  
  
"Why don't you give it a test run" Face said, his breath heavy. He loved to see Murdock in the clouds, hear the whooping sound of joy, the laugh, the smile, the joy.  
  
Murdock grinned "Right Muchacho"  
  
Hannibal walked over to where Face was seated and smiled as Murdock took off. "Does love flying a lot".  
  
Face nodded. "Yes. His head is always in the clouds".  
  
Hannibal gave a light laugh. Face smiled, and looked away suddenly. Hannibal noted a certain apprehension, and became slightly worried. "What's up kid, you seem a little worried".  
  
Face sighed. "Nothing, Colonel. Nothing at all".  
  
Hannibal sighed, watching Murdock flip the plane upside down and then return it to normal with ease. Murdock could fly anything. "He's amazing in the air, isn't he?"  
  
Face looked longingly towards the pilot and sighed deeply "He certainly does".  
  
Hannibal watched Murdock continue to perform perfect flips in mid air and smiled towards Face "Does get the old heart pumping quick, doesn't it?"  
  
Face laughed and agreed "Its true. I have never felt that much freedom, what Murdock feels, in my life. Its a total abandon, a total freedom of self"  
  
Hannibal nodded "Yes, its something only a few people can feel, Face. Murdock is one of those".  
  
Face rose from his vantage point of Murdock's display of aviation elegance and walked away quickly, much to the surprise of Hannibal. He walked into the rest room, and closed and locked a cubicle door, resting his head against the wall.  
  
After five minutes, a familiar voice echoed through the rest room "Muchacho? You here?".  
  
Face flushed the toilet, and took a deep breath. Then he unlocked the cubicle, walked out and was confronted with Murdock standing there, looking concerned at him.  
  
"Missed the rest of my show, Faceyman. When I saw you'd gone I decided to land and go look for you".  
  
Face sighed "Sorry Murdock. I didn't mean to miss it, sometimes I feel I can't stand seeing you up there, so free from the world".  
  
Murdock grinned "Nice, isn't it? There is a way for you to feel this Face".  
  
Face shook his head "I don't have your ability to shut out the world, Murdock. I could never feel that".  
  
Murdock disagreed "Not true, Facey. Come with me".  
  
Face reluctantly followed the Captain back to a light aircraft with heavy straps and sheet metal jutting up ominously on the top. Face looked at the contraption worriedly.  
  
"See Face. Whenever people get so down on life they can't take it any more, a lucky few know how to find a release. They strap themselves to the top of a plane, and feel the adrenaline rush as they soar through the clouds. Its the closest you can get to being able to fly". Murdock explained. He signalled to Face to clamber aboard the aircraft.  
  
Face sighed, and accepted Murdock's outstretched hand. "You are going to strap me in, exposed, and then fly off and do aerobatics with me sticking out like a sore thumb. Right?".  
  
Murdock grinned and nodded. "Does get the adrenaline pumping, right?"  
  
Face felt a chill of excitement move through him. He had felt this chill before descending from a plane doing a parachute jump, and knew suddenly that he was going to do this.  
  
Murdock strapped Face in securely, checking the straps three times, and that the metal acting like a backrest for Face's entire body was secure. He hopped into the pilots seat, and the aircraft started to move slowly, picking up speed.  
  
Face felt the air rush past him, saw Murdock below him at the controls and felt a stab of fear at his own vulnerability. As the wheels left the ground, Face spread his arms, feeling an overwhelming sensation of freedom as he felt the aircraft rise, and rise, until Hannibal was a speck on the ground, and cars seemed like toys.  
  
Hannibal lit a cigar and watched the display, feeling contented. This was exactly what Face needed, to feel free from everything for a few minutes.  
  
Face laughed suddenly, feeling the aircraft turn suddenly. Murdock performed a perfect mid-air somersault, the aircraft taking the display well. Face felt himself upside down momentarily, and cried out in amazement. His concentration was solely on the clouds before him, the aircraft rose, and darted among the clouds.  
  
After half an hour, Murdock landed the aircraft. He unstrapped a rather shaky Face, and sat him down next to Hannibal.  
  
"Well, whaddya think?" Murdock asked, gleefully rubbing his hands together.  
  
"I think that was the most amazing experience of my life" Face said in awe.  
  
"Certainly looked like you were having fun from down here" Hannibal laughed "I've never heard you whoop and scream before like that"  
  
Murdock grinned "How do you feel now, Face?".  
  
Face smiled contentedly "On top of the world".  
  
Suddenly, a familiar black van with tinted windows and red stripe parked by the runway, and BA leaned out, his massive frame tense.  
  
"Come on, Lynch is right behind me, man" BA said.  
  
The others shared their last contented feelings for a second longer, and then ran over to the van.   
  
The sounds of sedans, the flashing lights and the blaring sirens followed the van as it quickly lost the persuers, and made its way into traffic to become lost and invisible.  
  
  
THE END.  



End file.
